Does anyone know anything about gardening?

My lawn is knacked. I didn't get the chance to cut it before winter so it was pretty long and now it appears to be mainly mud and yellowing long grass with a bit of fox or cat shit.

Any suggestions on the best way to sort it? It's not particularly big ~ 4mx4m.

Cheers

You can still cut it in winter (but sans shit). Wait for a dry period if you can.
Then topsoil and reseed in spring.

Bugger. I bought these: https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/special-deal-narcissi-erlicheer-rare-double-white-fragrant-paper-white-daffodils assuming they would be ok for an outside window box because the description talked about planting in gardens and patio planters, but now I'm wondering if they are only hardy next year (ie I have to keep indoors til they flower then plant out after they flower ready for next year)

Attached is how they arrived. It's a stock photo but near enough.

1) Will they be ok outside?

2) Since they came with the bulbs mostly exposed that is how I planted them, but now wondering if I should replant with the bulbs fully covered?

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Hot compost bin users, do they smell? The bins, not the users.

A tiny bit*, but only if you put your nose right up close.

Both me and the bin.

*Unless you get the ratios wrong and make it anerobic, then it can stink like high heaven and you have to dig a big hole to bury all the stinky wasted compost that you’ve spent months making. Not that I’ve done that at all.

No bulb expert, but I would plant them bulbs fully covered.

Ours doesn't but, like any compost, you need to ensure you need to get the C:N ratio right. If it does start to smell, just bung more shredded cardboard in. That fixes it.

Interesting, thanks. I'm considering one for small animal waste + bedding (newspaper +hay) disposal, as well as the usual garden stuff so hopefully will be ok.

The smell comes from in going anaerobic I find. Go for it. Get the bigger 200l one. Its surprising how quickly you'll fill it. I've no experience composting animal poo though with the exception of Hamster bedding.

Wife wants the garden screened from the road.
The photo is taken from inside the area we want screened off.
Thinking of some kind of wire mesh to make higher cover on fence sections, secured with zip ties, and then have a climber planted by both walls.
Needs to be evergreen. Don't really like ivy but it would be ideal in this case.
Advice welcome.
Can't be bamboo though as wife is Japanese and has a pathological fear of it running amok and uprooting our house.
There's some wisteria to the right of photo but obvs in winter it's not much use.
Not sure what to do about gate area.

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bamboo in a planter ?

Some of these are nice:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/hydrangeas-that-are-evergreen.htm

I agree with your wife about bamboo. It's only good for pandas.

Thanks - I've suggested that.
But it's a non starter

Thanks I'll look into those - I do like hydrangeas

I'd go for some tall ornamental grasses in those beds e.g. Stipa Gigantea or Karl Foerster but might work less well if you're after something more cottage-garden in style

What about an evergreen hedge just behind the railing? We've got a privet hedge in front and I think they're quite pretty, you can get variegated ones too. You can keep them fairly narrow.

Purple beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea'), not evergreen, nor native, but retains leaves through winter, is low maintenance and does act well as a screen, also decent for wildlife.

For a less formal evergreen hedge as a screen you could try Choisya Ternata, can be pruned and has bonus flowers.

Great ideas thanks - purple beech looks beautiful - and should complement a mature smoke bush tree we’ve got in the garden

How about rosemary in front of the railings for evergreen, aromatic hedging that you can use in the kitchen, with espaliered apple trees providing blossom, food, screening and shelter above?

eucalyptus is pretty, bushy, and evergreen - not sure how much a mature plant/tree would run you though, for instant screening.

I think someone recommended apple tree suppliers here before but my search failed. Any favourites?

I'm currently browsing orange pippin trees and Habitat Aid

I had an apple tree from orange pippin, can recommend.

Brogdale
https://brogdaleonline.co.uk/

I moved to Faversham recently and this place is such a gift.

@hoefla they can do a phone consultation so you describe garden setting, planned placement, soil type what you want from a tree and they recommend suitable tree's. It's the home of the national fruit collection so they can source rarer types too.